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The Book of Job

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- Chapter 14 -

1
Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2
He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.
3
And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?
4
Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?
5
The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.
6
Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.
7
A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.
8
If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,
9
at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.
10
Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?
11
It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;
12
just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.
13
Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me?(a)
14
Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.
15
You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.
16
Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.
17
You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.
18
A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.
19
Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.
20
You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.
21
Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.
22
And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.

Footnotes

(a)14:13 That you will protect me in the underworld:That is, in the state of the dead; and in the place where the souls are kept waiting for their Redeemer.(Challoner)
1
“Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
2
He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
3
Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
4
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
5
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass.
6
Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a hireling, his day.
7
“For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
8
Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,
9
yet through the scent of water it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant.
10
But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
11
As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,
12
so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.
13
“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol,(a) that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time and remember me!
14
If a man dies, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.
15
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
16
But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?
17
My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
18
“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place.
19
The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.
20
You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.
21
His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.
22
But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”

Footnotes

(a)14:13 Sheol is the place of the dead.
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